You are propably stuck in Blazing Swamp until exalted quest #2 or #3. After you find a new zone, probably Enchanted Valley or Beleth and repeat.
You'll be able to solo and find some party to some extent, may be easier with a clan tough.
You get some new kind of "universal" material as droprate after BS but looking at the ether droprate it will takes a loooonng while before being able to attempt a craft.
For the gear part aside of crafting, which is well "complicated", i would love to know too ?
Basically You can continue after 105, no problem, but from what I see I just don't understand how a new/returning char is supposed to gear with today game mechanics (aside of trading ncoin and buying stuff from AH, I mean to create/drop new stuff)